Vionate or Osteo SA for purple martins?

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Rediwill
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:06 pm
Location: fredericksburg, va
Martin Colony History: 2016 6/1 Pole put up late due to HOA . Had visitor birds but no pairs that stayed.
2017 3/1 visitor birds but no pairs that stayed.
2018 3/1 visitor birds but no pairs that stayed.
2019 3/1 visitor birds but no pairs that stayed. Brothers Martins didn’t show up at all at his pole 10 miles away.
2020 7/30 Had 3 pairs, 1st- 5 eggs/ 2nd hatched 2 fledged, 2nd - 5 eggs/ 2-5 hatched fledging. 3rd formed late July and no nest built.
2021 3/1 no pairs returned. One lone male hung out few days then left. Weather was bad.
2022 6/1 one pair all four eggs that hatched fledged. I’ve had 6-8 visitors.
2023 6/15 Eleven pairs 4-6 babies per nest. 51 babies total hatched. Will start fledging July 4th until end of July. I am in total shock.....Wow

I have seen people flicking crickets up to martin using a spoon but can you just put them in the gourd and they will eat them? dead crickets or dead meal worms? Has anyone used Vionate to supplement their martins health? Osteo SA is a calcium supplement as well. Just wondering if anyone has tried adding this to their diet of crickets or eggs etc. Do they eat meal worms? I heard of egg shells but this vionate and osteo sa is made for pet birds and other animals. This may of already been talked about but this is only my second year on here.



Shane
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eyeamtheman
Posts: 633
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: Quitman, La
Martin Colony History: Super colony

I've never heard of adding anything to crickets, mealworms or eggs. And they MIGHT eat em if placed in the housing, but you might have better luck with a plastic spoon. Remember, they MUST be hungry, as in not eating for a couple days.
And yes, there are many discussions and tips about this on here. Just search for them and read about it.
Johnny
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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

Rediwill wrote:I have seen people flicking crickets up to martin using a spoon but can you just put them in the gourd and they will eat them? dead crickets or dead meal worms? Has anyone used Vionate to supplement their martins health? Osteo SA is a calcium supplement as well. Just wondering if anyone has tried adding this to their diet of crickets or eggs etc. Do they eat meal worms? I heard of egg shells but this vionate and osteo sa is made for pet birds and other animals. This may of already been talked about but this is only my second year on here.



Shane
You can try to place some crickets or meal worms on a balcony or just inside the openings. Once you get your colony to accept supplemental feeding you can use a platform feeder. They need to be hungry for about 3 days (non-feeding days due to bad weather) before they will even attempt it. Crickets or meal worms are the preferred choice for supplemental feedings. Eggs are OK, but too many can cause diarrhea, which will dehydrate them.

No idea how you would add this product to crickets or meal worms, but I would say it should not be used. Purple Martins are not a pet, zoo animal, etc. They are wild. Adding too many vitamins, minerals, etc to their natural diet can cause health issues. They also do not drink from a container. They get water via skimming a pond, lake, river, etc.

Egg shells not only provide calcium for the adults, but also the chicks, as parents feed it to them.

Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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